Lebbeus h



(No Model.)

L. Raoeras] I Manufacture of Perforated and Scalloped Paper. No.228,939. Patented June 15,1880.

N. PETERS. PROTQ-UYHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

LEBBEUS H. ROGERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MANUFACTURE OF PERFORATED AND SCALLOPED PAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,939, dated June 15,1880.

Application filed March 26, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEBBEUS H. ROGERS, of thecity, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Manufacture of Perforated Scalloped Paper, whichinvention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of perforated scalloped paperemployed for the ornamenting of shelves in shops and other places, fordecorating the interior of cigar and other boxes, and for otherpurposes.

The method heretofore commonly adopted in the manufacture of such paperhas been to take a number of sheets, say twelve, of the desired size,and by suitable dies to perforate and scallop one edge of the sheets, sothat all the paper below and between the scallops is consequentlywasted. According to another mode the sheets are folded, and punched andscalloped on the creased or folded edge, thus perforating and severingtwo strips from one sheet; but this plan, like the former, is wasteful,as the material between the two scalloped edges, as well as that betweenthe scallops, is wasted.

In this invention the wastage is reduced to a minimum by perforating andcutting from a flat sheet two strips with the patterns so arranged thatthe scalloped edges of the two strips interlock or dovetail, the pointsor scallops of either strip fitting into the space between the points orscallops of the other. The dies, therefore, have not the pattern for asingle edge only,'but are duplicated, so as to prepare at one operationthe two strips. These strips are preferably severed at the same time andby the same movement that effects the perforation and scalloping, orsubsequently, by-means of a pinking-machine or between rollers havingcutting-edges of suitable configuration. I

By multiplying the dies and placing them parallel at the requireddistance apart, a single flat sheet may be cut into a number of stripsof any desired width.

In the present method of manufacture only one, or at most two, scallopsor points are perforated at the same time, and the sheet is movedforward by hand to make another scallop. In so doing it is difficult tomake the (No model.)

forward movement so exact that the commencement of the new scallop willregister with the end of the previous one. In most cases the junction isa little too high or too low, or to the right or left of where it shouldbe. In this invention this difficulty is overcome by making at the endof the line by the die a hole slightly larger than the width of the saidline, and extending a small distance beyond the edge of the properjoining place, or by shaping the pattern of the die so as to meet thatrequirement. The enlargement insures a perfect severance and registry ateach punching.

This invention also comprises certain improvements in mechanism wherebythe paper can be punched and scalloped by power, and can also beembossed if required.

In order that the invention and the manner of carrying the same intoeffect may be more readily understood,reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the manner in which the perforated scallopedpaper has been heretofore cut, and Fig. 3 the way in which, i

by this invention, wastage is reduced to a minimum. Fig. 4 is a view ofa strip having the portion which is usually acted upon at eachreciprocation of the die perforated and sealloped. Figs. 5 and 6represent, respectively, a central longitudinal section of the improvedmachine and an end view of the same, with the table for supporting thepaper removed. Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which anumber of scallops or points may be readily cut out at one operation byhaving them extending across the strip. Fig.8 is a sectional "iew, on anenlarged scale, of a portion of the stripper-plate, showing theembossing projections or dies around the openings through which thepunches pass.

In Fig. 1 the scallops have been cut and the holes punched by operatingupon one edge of the open fiat sheet, and in Fig. 2 by folding the sheetand then operating on the creased or folded edge. The sheet as shown inFig. 2 is open. In both figures the portions outside or between thescallops (indicated by shade lines) are wasted or cut away, andconstitnt a source of considerable loss.

As shown in Fig. 3, the sheet is perforated and scalloped in the middle.The die is made to git-e a double row or series of perforations andscallops, which interlock, so as to divide each sheet into two portionsby a corrugated or wavy line, as shown at c, Fig. 3, a being one of thestrips and b'the other.

The configurations of the die and punches are such that they not onlypunch out the holes, but also sever the two parts a b by the line 0, thesheet being placed in a flat open position.

The width of the severing-line for practical working need not exceedone-sixteenth of an inch, and the wastage is thus reduced to smallproportions. In order, however, to save even this small wastage, theholes are perforated by punches, and the sheet is 'divided into halvesby passing it through a pinking-machine, or between a pair of male andfemale cuttingrollers having the configuration of the scallops desired.

By multiplying the dies and arranging them parallel at suitabledistances a sheet can be cut into any desired number of parts.

In Fig.4 the amount that is cut and punched at each reciprocation of thedie is shown. It clearly indicates the arrangement of the punchingdevices, the interlocking pattern for the die, and the particular curveor form of scallops, the number and character of the punohings being, ofcourse, immaterial.

The strip is intermittently fed along lengthwise, and the scallops andholes are successively formed. In order to secure a perfect registry ofthe several cuttings or punchings, an enlargement, as at d, is made atthe end of the pattern shown. To effect more perfect fitting togetherthe opposite end of the line of severance may be made a little narrower.

The scallops on a and b may be alike, or they may be different.

Instead of arranging the punches so as to produce at each reciprocationa full scallop on one side and two parts or halves on the other, asshown in Fig. .4, they may be arranged to cut or punch at the same timea full scallop on each, the line between the center of the seallopsbeing diagonal with reference to the line of feed. I

In the description immediately preceding, I have, for convenience,spoken of a single sheet being perforated and scalloped. In practice, inthe ordinary as well as in my improved way, a number of sheets, saytwelve, more or less, arranged in a pile, are or may be operated on atonce.

I will now describe my improved machine, referring to Figs. 5 and 6.

A is a well-known form of power punchingmachine, having a main shaft, B,with cam, lifting up and forcing down the punch-plate O, the punches ofwhich pass through openingsin die D. Supported in bearings in the frameof the machine are the feed-rollers E F G H. These receive anintermittent revolution in a forward direction to the right in Fig.

5 by gearin gs connected with the main shaftsuch, for example, as shownin Fig. 6.

The rollers are geared by spur-gears to the ratchet-wheel I. To thelever K. which is free to turn on a pivot in the axis of the wheel I, isconnected a pawl, L.

The lever K being reciprocated by a cam on the main shaft, by means of asuitable connecting-rod, M, an intermittent rotary motion is imparted tothe ratchet-wheel I, and is by it communicated to the feed-wheels. Thefeedcam and the cam for operating the punch are so timed in their actionthat the former acts when the punches are elevated by the latter.

The feed-rollers support and impart motion to endless belts N P, betweenwhich the paper is passed several webs or sheets at a time. The beltsare not broad enough to cover the whole surface of the rollers, but aredivided into two or more separate or parallel belts, placed a suitabledistance apart, so as to leave space between for punching the paper andavoid punching the belts. The belts act as gripers on the parts of thepaper which are not to be punched, and carry it through the machinewithout puckeri n g, buckling, or creasing the same, as the pressure ofrollers would do if a number of sheets or webs were carried between themat the same time without said belts.

The paper is supplied to the machine from a number of rolls which aresupported in suitable hearings on the table Q, which may, if desiredform a part of the frame of the punching-machine, although it is shownseparate.

The lower belts, N, extend around a roller at the end of the table, andon them the rolls of paper rest, the webs fromthe outer rolls (to theleft in Fig. 6) passing under the others, and with them passing on. asthey are unwound by the motion of the lower belts, between them and theupper belts, P, and under the punches.

In order to support the rolls of paper so that their weight may not beborne by the belts, supporting-rollers, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5,)between which and the rolls of paper the belts pass, or other suitablemeans, are or may be employed. It is obvious thatinstead of extendingthe belts N, a separate broad belt could be used to unwind the paper,the belts N being of the same size as those marked P.

To the frame A hand-shears R, for severing transversely the ornamentedstrips to make them of the desired length, are attached. If desired, theshears could be automatically worked, after a determined interval, by acam on the main shaft.

It is preferred to feed the paper from rolls in the manner justdescribed but the sheets can be fed to the machine in quires fromrectangular bundles. In such cases, in order to avoid the necessity offirst cutting or severing the fold to separate the sheets, I make astraight punch across the die in the direction of the feed of the paper,and punch 05 the edge as it passes through the machine. Instead of per,it is desirable, for some purposes, to e1nboss the edges and around theperforations.

For this purpose I form the stripping-plate W as an embossing-die, asindicated in Fig.8, and make the lower die, D, a counterpart, so that atthe same movement of the punch-plate the perforations are made and theembossing is accomplished. For this purpose the stripper-plate is madecapable of a slight movement in a vertical direction less than thepunch-plate. This may be effected in various ways-for example, bysupporting the stripper-plate on springs, so that when the punchplatedescends it is forced downward to emboss the paper, and when thepunch-plate ascends the spring raises it sufficiently to clear the paperand permit the paper to be fed along, while it also acts as astripper-plate. The embossing-die can be secured to the lower side ofthe punch-plate, if desired.

In embossing, better work is performed by retaining the die in contactwith the paper for a short time. This advantage can be readily obtainedby imparting to the punch the required movement from a suitable cam onthe main shaft of the machine.

The operation of the machine has already been substantially described.

The punches are made according to the patterns, as indicated in Figs. 3and 4, and the machine being started, the webs of paper from the rollsare fed under the punches and are by them perforated and scalloped, atthe same time being embossed, if the embossing-dies are used. Thescalloping may, however, be done subsequently, as already stated. Theother parts of the machine may be used with dies and punches of theordinary patterns.

In proceeding as above I cut at one punchin g only one, or at most two,scallopsin length, as my machine is best adapted for such work; but I donot confine myself thereto, as I can takein any number th at can beaccommodated in a perforating-press. I can reverse-the style of punchingby perforating out a whole pattern across the width of the paper atright a11- gles to the direction of the feed, as in Fig. 7. The sidenext to the roll it is preferred should be a straight edge instead of ascalloped one, as shown at S.

If difficulty is found in releasing the cutoff portion from between thedie, a portion of the die-plate, at its surface, can be made to moveforward to assist in carrying such severed piece away and backward toreceive the next cutting; or if, on the other hand, the severed straightedge cannot pass the scalloped holes in the die-plate without catchin gin them and destroying its perfect feeding, then I similarly arrange aportion of the dieplate on the side nearest the roll of paper to slidequickly over the die-openin gs and allow the paper to feed perfectlywithout catching,

as stated, the said sliding portion of the dieplate moving backward intime for the punches to descend into the die.

The feeding-bands can have holes in them corresponding to the contour ofthe die-holes, or narrow connecting-strips can be left at the sides andmiddle of the paper, in order to assist in moving it forward by thefeeding-rollers out from between the die. Such connecting-strips can becut oif by shears or by a second punch with die-holes arranged beyondthe-rollers at its proper cutting distance from the scalloped punches.The interlocking pattern of sealloped die can be made to descend on thepaper alternately with a straight die to divide the severed sheet thatis scalloped at both forward and rear edges 5 or the straight punch cancut in unison with the scalloping-punch by'placing it beyond therollers, as before stated, for cutting connecting-strips.

The interlocking pattern is shown at T, and a pattern with the twoscalloped edges adjacent, but not interlocked, at U.

Paper in quires or other small bundles can be cut in full cross-sectionin the same manner, and each half drawn outin the proper direction.

As shown at S and U, Fig. 7, the paper be tween the scollops will, ofcourse, be wasted. As shown at T, however, all the paper substantiallywill be utilized.

Having thus fully described my said invention and the manner in whichthe same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of making perforated and scalloped paper, by punching inthe paper interlockin g patterns and severing the paper between thepatterns, so as to form from a single sheet two or more perforatedstrips with scalloped edges, substantially as described.

- 2. In the manufacture of perforated and scalloped paper, in which thepaper is fed intermittently under suitable punches, the meth- 0d ofinsuring registry of the several punchings or cuttings by shaping orforming an enlargement at the ends of the pattern punched each time thepaper is fed forward, substantially as described.

3. The method of manufacturing scalloped perforated paper from rolls,consisting in intermittently 'drawin g off the webs from a number ofrolls and feeding said webs simultaneously to a punching and scallopingma chine in lengths to correspond with the portions scalloped or cut,and then cutting off the scalloped and perforated strips at the requiredlengths by transverse cuts, substantially as described.

4. An interlocking pattern for the perforating-die of a machine forscalloping and perfo* ratingpaper, comprising patterns for the edges oftwo sheets with the points or scallops of the two patterns interlockingwith each other, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for punching and embossing papers,a stripper-plateprovided With-em- In testimony whereof I have signed this 10 bossingprojections or dies, substantially-as specification in the presence oftwosubscribdescribed. in g Witnesses.

6. The combination, with the reciprocating v die or punch plate, of thefeeding-belts and 'LEBBEUS H. ROGERS. supports for sustaining one ormore rolls of paper so as to rest upon the lower feeding- Witnesses:belts, or a belt Worked forward with the same J. O. SAXTON, movement,substantially as described. W. R. BIDDLE.

